New York Rangers: Should the team explore an unconventional lineup?

The New York Rangers have too many defenseman and too many forwards in training camp. Would it make sense to try out either 13 forwards and five defenseman or 11 forwards and seven defenseman?

For the most part, the NHL lineup consists of 12 forwards, six defenseman, a starting goaltender and a backup in net. However, there are alternative formulas for roster composition that are occasionally used in certain situations. The New York Rangers famously or perhaps infamously  used a seven defenseman 11 forward lineup in game seven of the 2015 Eastern Conference Finals.

The team had its best defenseman, Ryan McDonagh, trying to play through a broken foot so then coach Alain Vigneault opted to use an extra defenseman to try and make up the difference in ice time. Yet, Vigneault only used the seventh defenseman, Matt Hunwick for a handful of shifts, effectively wasting a lineup spot.

There is a world in which the Rangers’ coaching staff could decide on a seven defenseman lineup for this upcoming season. It makes sense when you consider the strengths and weaknesses of the individual defenseman in the lineup.

There is also the option of going with 13 forwards and giving a highly touted prospect a sheltered role in the lineup. Giving Lias Andersson only favorable matchups and offensive zone starts could enable a jumpstart for his development as a professional.

Seven defenseman

The Rangers are running out of time when it comes to the development of defenseman Tony DeAngelo. While the New Jersey native has played well during the preseason, those are still only exhibition. Being that the defenseman is no longer waivers exempt, if he makes the team out of camp, he would need to clear if the team were to send him to the AHL.

The biggest flaw in his game is still his play in the defensive end of the ice. This was such a problem last year that in his limited NHL time, he was playing less than ten minutes of ice time per game. This was a heavily sheltered role that limited his exposure in the defensive end and looked to maximize his considerable offensive skills.

If the Rangers’ new head coach David Quinn wanted to pursue a similar path and also have Neal Pionk or Frederic Claesson in the lineup, he could utilize a seven defenseman system. This would put Pionk or Claesson in the more difficult matchup and enable DeAngelo to use his offensive gifts.

The Rangers could also go the other way this idea and choose to use one of the more defensively inclined players like Adam McQuaid as the seventh defenseman. Using a player like McQuaid in a specialist role could keep an older player more fresh on a consistent basis.

13 forwards

On the other end of the spectrum, the Rangers have a lot of forwards for not a lot of jobs. The team’s highly touted prospects with a serious chance to make the team, Filip Chytil and Andersson need high level competition for their development. It would make sense to find a way to have both on the NHL roster if possible.

However, there are only so many top six forward spots available. Being that the Rangers have a pretty solidified top six in terms of established talent, it would be tricky to get one let alone both in a key role.

But, if the team wanted to utilize one of the two 2017 first round picks as a specialist forward, the 13 forward lineup could make sense.

I would consider this an unlikely scenario but something within the scope of possibility. The Rangers as an organization have an entire season for experimenting and player development. There is no serious expectation to make the playoffs or even realistically compete against the league’s best

The more likely of these two is the seven defenseman format simply because the Rangers have ten defenseman with a legitimate argument to play NHL minutes this season. In addition, they have every reason to try and make DeAngelo stick at the top level. The team put significant value into acquiring him and need to get a return on investment.